The fact that Federer continues to get these sportsmanship awards diminishes the actual award itself.

I don't know what he does that is actually that sporting, yet there are many instances of a terrible lack of sportsmanship (swearing at Murray for, uh, winning a point, trying to take Stakhovsky's head off, telling the crowd to 'shut up', telling Djokovic's parents to 'shut up'). I particularly love how Federer fans vociferously defend the latter two. Can you imagine their reaction if Murray ever told the crowd to shut up? We wouldn't hear the last of it.

Djokovic has always struck me as a great sport, although his antics at the USO final have diminished that slightly. Del Potro and Tsonga are also great sports. But why is it always between the top guys? There are plenty of other guys in the top 100 who never cease to show great sportsmanship.

Over the last few years he has definitely shown that he is not a true sportsman. He is a dreadful loser. That photo of Andy and Fernando is how they should behave. My father always taught us to do our utmost to win but be gracious in defeat and move on.

I have never liked him, only his game as |I have found him to be arrogant and insincere. I have had to defend myself time and time again but recently many people have begun to see what I have always seen.

It's easy to be sporting when you're winning (although Federer has still managed to come across as a tit on occasion - see 2009 Wimbledon final) but the real person comes out when the going gets tough. I think over the last couple of years the mask has really started to slip.

I made a statement early this year that Federer could drop to about 8 in the rankings. Now he is at 5 and has quite a lot of points to defend (1360) whereas Berdych has only 160 and Delpo 730 up to and including the US Open. Both of these are within reach if they have a good run and Fed loses in Cincinnati.

I see that he is getting worried and is doing Gstaad and Hamburg! Not much opposition in Gstaad so 250 points there but a banana skin is possible in Hamburg as there are some well capable of beating him? Not sure how they limit the events in rankings. Do they all count towards London as the yearly total? Could be interesting in the Race to London as he might not make it? C'mon everybody else! I have tickets this year for a semi at O2 so just do not want any chance of watching that man. Perhaps though now Andy now will have more support there and could it would match the adoring following of the old man?

Fed has a replacement though! Did you see the monogrammed socks of the pole in the semi? I hated him instantaneously for that and his manner on court!

I made a statement early this year that Federer could drop to about 8 in the rankings. Now he is at 5 and has quite a lot of points to defend (1360) whereas Berdych has only 160 and Delpo 730 up to and including the US Open. Both of these are within reach if they have a good run and Fed loses in Cincinnati.

I see that he is getting worried and is doing Gstaad and Hamburg! Not much opposition in Gstaad so 250 points there but a banana skin is possible in Hamburg as there are some well capable of beating him? Not sure how they limit the events in rankings. Do they all count towards London as the yearly total? Could be interesting in the Race to London as he might not make it? C'mon everybody else! I have tickets this year for a semi at O2 so just do not want any chance of watching that man. Perhaps though now Andy now will have more support there and could it would match the adoring following of the old man?

Fed has a replacement though! Did you see the monogrammed socks of the pole in the semi? I hated him instantaneously for that and his manner on court!

Yeah they all count. He's also less vulnerable on clay, short of meeting another top 8 player. I don't think anyone else could really challenge him. So I expect he will reinforce his position somewhat there. He will need to find some serious form for the upcoming North American Masters and US Open though if he's to ever return to the top 4.

Very slim chance of missing out on the World Tour Finals, short of retiring before-hand (unlikely, I think).

Yeah they all count. He's also less vulnerable on clay, short of meeting another top 8 player. I don't think anyone else could really challenge him. So I expect he will reinforce his position somewhat there. He will need to find some serious form for the upcoming North American Masters and US Open though if he's to ever return to the top 4.

Very slim chance of missing out on the World Tour Finals, short of retiring before-hand (unlikely, I think).

For the O2 do you mean that any player can play as many tournies as possible to build up his points tally?

Shame that you do not think that Fed will drop more in next few months on the main ranking. I understand your view. I still am being positive on my prediction for his end of year ranking. I had him down to lose early at Wimbledon which caused his plummet downwards so sometimes things go to my wishes! On the brighter side Delpo will overtake him if he does not get injured and is motivated enough. Berdych will probably slowly catch him but he is prone to unpredictability. None of the others seem to be consistent enough to make a big move but I only need those two and one other to do well and it is 8 for him. Ferrer I expect to drop his points level but not enough to drop below Fed and I assume that Nadal can play a little to keep topping up his total at a time when he has nothing to defend. Good position. He can find a few clay matches? These extra events could give Fed 750 points for the Race but can he have both Halle & Gstaad included for the rankings? I should know this. He needs all the points that he can get to have any hope of being near to achieving top 4 status again. Three failures in the next five events would be major damage to his aspirations. Now at 5 he is more at risk of a good player knocking him out relatively early as his draw position is too low to have that protection of the top 4 ranking. From here, with his evident fading speed on court, it is a slippery slope downhill? A bad O2 result could be the final blow. Unless of course he wins at three or four of his next events, and an even worse thought at the US Open..........................

Time to move on with the new breed of players. It is happening on the ladies side so there is hope of same for the men?

Only the best 18 tournaments are included in the race, but I don't think Federer will exceed that. He can include his 6 best tournaments from 500s, 250s and Monte Carlo (as it's not compulsory - although he didn't play anyway), so Gstaad and Hamburg points (assuming he gets some) will join Halle, Rotterdam and Dubai in his 6 countable tournaments for this year so far.

Hope that makes sense!

At this rate there is certainly a very reasonable chance that Berdych and Del Potro could overtake him, and at a push maybe Tsonga. But as you say, none of the others (like Gasquet or Wawrinka) are really consistent enough to overtake him.

Having made the Rome final, Aussie Open SFs and RG QFs he still finds himself 6th in race, 400 points ahead of Wawrinka in 9th. So if he does well in the upcoming tournaments he should give himself a bit of a cushion. Would need to suffer more early exits (ie before QFs) in a couple of the upcoming Masters and the USO to really be in danger.

It's hard to say whether he'll continue to struggle or if he'll recapture some form. He's certainly capable of doing so. I don't think he'll ever return to the top 3 now, but anywhere between 4 and 8 are probably realistic right now. Probably around where he is now.

By the way, I notice you're from Wiltshire. Whereabouts, out of interest?